


Lesson Five; On Amphibians and the Virtue of Broken Curfews

by an_evasive_author



Series: Continued Studies of Fatherhood [5]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Frogs, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 17:09:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20295037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/an_evasive_author/pseuds/an_evasive_author
Summary: Tyelkormo enjoys the weather, however rainy and dour. It beats the stuffy living room with his boring siblings and his boring parents with their very boring books. What is a seasoned frog hunter to do when no one allows him to do what he is best at? Sneak outside, of course.





	Lesson Five; On Amphibians and the Virtue of Broken Curfews

**Author's Note:**

> [May I offer some atmosphere to set the scene?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih4_1FyVjaY&t=1788s)

Rain pitter-pattered outside, drenching everything behind long, grey curtains that made it hard to even see the trees close by. It looked quite pretty in the silver light outside and Tyelkormo, easily distracted by shiny things and sounds, wanted to play outside.

The summer had been dreadfully hot and sticky so far. With crickets singing and the air dancing in shimmering sheets of heat, it had been nearly unbearable to be out and about during the better part of playtime. That did not mean there was nothing to do, however.

Several times now, Nelyo had dragged his brothers to the ponds and waterholes on the estate to cool off, much to Kanafinwe's unending, shrieking dismay. Kana, an uptight spoilsport, did not like sharing his pond with turtles and frogs.

It just showed to prove that his uppity brother had no taste since catching frogs and lizards was the single best part about bathing. All critters where fair game when one bathed in a pond; But just one catfish in the bathtub and it was off to bed without dessert.

The rain was a welcomed relief, it felt as if one could breathe fully and deeply again. The windows and door where thrown wide open to invite whatever cool breeze lurked outside in. Inside, there where five elves, all lazy from the remnants of the heat. Their last meal had already passed; There was cooled wine and juice on the table and an empty bowl of fruit. Merely the stalk of some grapes and two sad, soggy slices of orange where still left to float in a puddle of melted ice.

With heat no longer tying Tyelko down, the only logical conclusion was to go out and play. The summer could not be let go to waste and the crickets beckoned him so. Inside there was nothing but books and the ceaseless plucking of Kana's lyre.

The choice was an easy one, the following through not so much.

“Tyelko,” came the warning from his father as Tyelkormo, one foot and both hands on the windowsill, made to weasel outside to frolic about in the rain. “Tyelkormo, don't you dare.” Fëanáro lay strewn over his couch, every cord on his tunic loosened and jewellery foregone. It was too hot for necklaces and circlets.

His parents had other ideas. So did Nelyo who watched him with hawkish attention. No one was allowed to have any fun around here, Tyelko decided.

He huffed and fell backwards onto the carpet, limps stretched out like a starfish. The prevailing pose in the House of Fëanáro; Maximizing space taken up and making being moved around nearly impossible.

“I am _bored_...” Tyelko whined, rolled around and came to a halt when the brief pout of fun ebbed again.

Atar yawned, smacked his lips and cracked his neck. “Go read something then,” he offered, still tired out from both heat and playing horse for the better part of the day. But Tyelko was, as always, not appeased.

“Books are boring,” Tyelko reminded his father and sighed wearily when no one came to relief him of his boredom. No one deigned to play tag or wrestle... How boring.

“You could always go to bed,” suggested Nelyo from where he lay sprawled out carelessly and read a book of his own.

Tyelko made to argue but, in a bit of truly genius thinking, nodded, “I should.” With that, he got up kissed his parents and brothers and was off.

Perhaps it was the prevailing temperatures, the weariness that came with it. Or perhaps the heat had cooked their heads to mush at this point. Whatever the reason, no one wondered why Tyelko made no fuss as he scampered to his room.

* * *

His clever subterfuge all planned out, Tyelko stuffed a pillow under his blanket to feign his sleep. He spent perhaps a bit too much time fluffing and squeezing until it resembled an elf and less a pillow and then he climbed deftly out the window.

He did not even bother with shoes, feeling the muddy earth of the flowerbed beneath his window as he looked around. But no one came to reprimand and spoil his fun. All was silence, safe the rain and the faint, muffled sound of crickets.

Tyelko, grinning towards the windows of the living room where his family sat none the wiser, bounded off. Already his clothes where drenched in the warm rain and the smell of saturated earth filled his nose. He was so clever! If he could, he would have told them of his idea. That would have defeated the purpose however and so he could do naught but revel in his genius and giggle quietly to himself before he skipped off towards adventure.

Like any good adventure should, this one started with frogs. Frog hunting, to be precise. Tyelko, a seasoned frog hunter, knew exactly where to find the biggest ones.

Indeed, the hidden pond, rife with all manners of water weeds and lily-pads, was bustling with frogs drifting motionless, safe their bulging cheeks. Some sat on the lily-pads, others stacked in pairs of two. Tyelko moved forward with the grace of a feline, parting the reedy grass with careful fingers and searched for his chosen prey.

The frogs, busy with their courting and their unceasing songs, paid no mind to the intruder right up until the moment Tyelko pounced. Then they very much did care and a great racket broke loose as frogs dove away into every direction.

It ended with Tyelko holding aloft his prize, a large green frog with dark spots. Tyelko studied his find, turned the frog until he could see the pale belly and finally pocketed him for later use. One could always use a frog, if only to keep him company.

Tyelko skipped about, still elated about his clever ruse. He was free. Free to do as he pleased. He stopped; What would please him right about now? Well, he was certainly not ready to go home just yet.

Still on the estate, though at the very fringe where shrubs grew wild and tall like houses, there stood Tyelko's very own domicile. A tree house with a window and a balcony. It had been a gift for Tyelko's begetting day and it was his and no one else was allowed inside without permission.

He was the lord in this corner of the garden.

How surprised he was when he came closer, to see that not all was as it should have been.

There was something hanging from a branch. A blue strip of fabric; Perhaps a ribbon of some sort. That had not been here last time. Suddenly --Tyelko could see it only because he was already close enough-- there was movement at the window. Someone was in his tree house. _His_ tree house!

Atar had made it for _him_. Tyelko should know; He had helped making it. He had told Atar which colour the roof should have and he had held the hammer in between use.

This could not stand. It would not!

Felling confident and appalled, he sat the frog down on a mossy boulder and pointed at him, “Sit.” The frog, who was not a complex thinker and held no great mental fortitude, needed no further compelling and croaked while he waited, cheeks swelling with every sound.

Tyelko, his now free hands resting on his hips, clicked his tongue in exasperated annoyance. More than a little miffed, Tyelkormo called up even as he clambered up along the branches,“Hey you! That's _my_ tree house!”

There was movement again, but no one deigned to face him. “I was here first, it's mine now!” came the shamelessly unapologetic reply from inside. The door was locked when he pulled at it, the latch of waxed cord could be used to secure it from the inside for privacy. Never would he have imagined it used against him. Something inside him demanded that he holler for his parents so they could deal with this.

Very well, another way then; Tyelko tumbled through the window and jumped to his feet, ready to face the trespasser and throw down if necessary.

He stood face to face with his cousin Irissë. He had seen her once or twice; During festivals and celebrations. He remembered very little, safe that she had been very particular about getting custard on her dress.

A doll sat on one of the two chairs, the other one was now unoccupied when Irissë had gotten up to face the intruder.

“Oh, it's just you,” said Tyelko and rolled his eyes. He could hardly beat her up now; She was his cousin, after all. If she tattled on him, there would be punishment. If not from his parents, then from his grandfather. And there was nothing Tyelko wanted less than that. Haru Finwe gave him sweets on demand and everything Tyelko could wish for. One did not displease his benefactor by beating up their granddaughter, no matter how deserved. “Get out,” he said and pointed towards the door where the latch was still holding it shut.

Irissë puffed out her cheeks, perhaps in an attempt to look menacing, “That's not very polite; You shouldn't throw a lady out into the rain.”

“What lady?” asked Tyelko, confused. After all, there was only him and this rude interloper here. He stepped to the door and unbuckled the latch to open the door. Perhaps she was rather dim and needed to be shown where the outside was. Like the bumblebees that sometimes found their way into Tyelko's room and then could not get out.

Fuming at being sent away and being ignored, Irissë gave a cry of retribution.“Rude!” Though she was small, she managed to catch him quite off-guard as she barrelled into him. They tumbled through the door Tyelko had so helpfully opened.

Tyelko found his world tilting and then, just as suddenly, he crashed onto mossy, loamy ground, looking up at Irissë who looked down from her perch. Only her fingers and nose peeked over the edge, eyes wide.

SIlence, both from a very much stunned Tyelko and abashed quiet from Irissë peering at him, “Are you alright?” came the tentative question.

Tyelko, very much uninjured safe for his pride, snorted, got rainwater up his nose and coughed it back out before he had the chance to answer.

Irissë clambered down to see to her stricken cousin who had not moved from where he had landed. The ground was soft and spongy, but Irissë did not care for punishment when it came out that she had thrown her cousin off a tree. She nudged him, “Don't tell on me? I will even let you back into my tree house.”

“_My_ tree house!” came the protest and Irissë snorted daintily, ladylike. What a mess this was. First she had no luck in catching slimy things and now she had acted most unladylike. She looked around to see if anyone had been drawn to them by the racket. When no one disturbed them, she looked around to make doubly sure.

There came a croak. Irissë swivelled around and gasped.

More important things took precedence. Mainly the green watcher sitting croaking on his rock. “A _froggy_!” cried Irissë gleefully and trampled Tyelko to catch the unmoving frog still sitting under Tyelko's spell. With the odds so in her favour --for no frog would sit by when a shrieking banshee barrelled towards them under any other circumstances--Irissë finally caught her prize and held the wriggling frog triumphantly. “I caught a froggy!”

Though flattened from being stomped and stepped on quite carelessly, Tyelko rolled over and regarded his cousin who seemed not to mind the cold sliminess squishing underneath her fingers. That was most unusual. No one Tyelko knew held the same fascination with frogs and slimy things.

Not Kana who would shriek and throw things in desperate attempts to chase Tyelko and his collection of millipedes off.

His parents and Nelyo held no great fear but also no great love towards small crawlies, which made all three of them _supremely _boring. At least Kana gave something beyond bland, generic interest.

But now there was someone who seemed just as enthused and Tyelko and such a chance could not be wasted. But how to best approach this?

“That's just one, though. I know where there are lots of frogs.”

Irissë turned, eyes sparkling. She still held the frog, one finger had rubbed him between the eyes but stilled as she thought. “Big ones?”

Tyelko nodded solemnly, “The biggest. But there are lots of algae. And waterscorpions too.”

Irissë beamed, “Are you gonna show me how to catch them? Please! Please?”

And Tyelko, seasoned frog hunter that he was, promised to do just that.

* * *

The pond had calmed once more. For how long was anyone's guess. Irissë squealed at the sight of so many green and brown frogs, all ripe for the taking, “_Fro_\--!” The exclamation was swiftly silenced when Tyelko slapped a hand over Irissë's mouth. He endured the silent glaring and held a finger to his lips.

“You have to be quiet,” said Tyelko, voice very serious. Out here in the gardens, he was the undisputed master of the craft and Irissë his eager student.

Irissë nodded and once she was released, clapped her own hands over her lips for a moment. Her face turned thoughtful and earnest and she nodded.

They crouched in the reeds, the rain muffled the crunching of stalks getting flattened as they inched forwards. A few cattails swayed at their movement but they where not yet found out. Safe for a great heron who stalked on twiggy legs for supper.

“_What do we do now?_” Irissë asked in an exaggerated whisper.

Tyelko hummed and explained his plan. Irissë nodded along and together they tensed.

Tyelko was first but Irissë lacked none of the enthusiasm. Both threw themselves into the sway and once more the frogs fled into all directions with loud complaint as two elflings splashed into the pond. The heron, unwilling to be caught in the fray, gave a raspy croak and took flight towards a quieter place to dine.

Knee-deep in the muck, they both came up victorious only moments later, hands wrapped around their bounty. And the hunt was over. The victors stepped unto grass and reveled in their success.

They sat their prizes on the lawn and watched the frogs jump away, back to their home. When the last one returned with a quiet splash, Irissë laughed. “That was great fun,” she said and clapped her hands together. They she pounced again and they _wrestled_ before Tyelko chased her back towards the tree house.

As they sat at the tiny table with the chairs Fëanáro had made for Tyelko, his thoughts turned his guest. There was so much he wanted to show her. Where to find slowworms and grass snakes. The best places to fish, where the best trees to climb onto where. There was so much to share with this newfound friend.

Pinkie promises where made to go onto adventures together, Irissë introduced her doll to Tyelko and Tyelko braided both the doll's and Irissë's hair dutifully.

“I think I have to go home now,” said Irissë after she had admired herself for a while.

“Already?” Tyelko had been having such fun, surely it needn't end so soon?

Irissë nodded, “I snuck out. Ata doesn't like it when I go out alone.”

“Oh...Shall we meet another time then?” Oh, how he hoped she would say yes.

“Yes,” Irissë said gleefully and laughed as they stood. Both where damp from the rain and so, when she hugged her taller cousin, their clothing smushed together and both laughed at the terribly clammy sensation.

Irissë gave him a smooch on the cheek and giggled. “Bye-bye, Tyelko!” she called and bounced off. Tyelko watched her go, waving uncharacteristically timid.

Irissë vanished in the grey curtains of rain, her blue ribbon the last thing to disappear out of Tyelko's sight. When he was sure his new friend was truly gone, he turned and made his way home.

All in all, Tyelko reasoned as he whistled merrily, it had been wholly worth it.

* * *

Climbing inside, leaving little puddles of pond water, Tyelko smiled to himself, picked a long water weed from his tunic and tugged his thin blanket aside. “And exactly where have you been?” asked Fëanáro from where he had lain in waiting, underneath the blanket.

Tyelko, his heart skipping a beat, howled in surprise, tumbled backwards and fell onto his rear without any grace to speak of. His blanket was gripped tightly in his trembling hands and in lieu of anything smart to say, Tyelko hollered again. All that screaming left him feel quite light-headed.

Fëanáro, not the least bit perturbed by his son's flailing nor the noise, picked himself off the bed and towered over his son. “I do suppose there will be an explanation for why you decided to disobey what I said. Well?”

Grappling for the first excuse he could think of, Tyelko jumped to his feet, “I couldn't sleep.”

Fëanáro raised an eyebrow but when nothing else in the way of an explanation was offered he huffed.

“I love you,” said Tyelko in a desperate bid to appear cute and innocent. This worked better when he did not reek of pond scum and looked like a wet dog. “And I am very sorry,” he said and meant it wholeheartedly. He was indeed very, very sorry that he had been caught.

Fëanáro smiled as he led Tyelko to the baths, “As I love you, dear one.”

“Does that mean you're not mad, Ata?” asked Tyelko and beamed brightly.

“Oh, don't be absurd. Do not think I never snuck out to do as I pleased when I was your age.”

Tyelko tried to imagine his father as a small elf, like Tyelko himself, and failed. But had he also hunted frogs and played with friends when he should have been in bed? What an idea that Atar would do such a thing.

“No,” Fëanáro continued, less to Tyelko than to himself, “I shall think additional schooling to tire you out will suffice.”

“Bu—But Ata--!” Tyelko cried out at the unfairness while he trailed muddy footprints through the house.


End file.
